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perfectlyoongi · 3 months ago

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OLDER-BROTHER!HOSEOK who still insists on seeing the first snowfall with you. winter was a fascinating time of the year and it always enchanted Hoseok. maybe because of the melancholy of its rains or the loneliness of its fogs, the reality is that Hoseok lived winter like someone falling in love for the first time — no matter how much time passed, what season it was, winter would always be Hoseok’s favorite. and, with him being an avid fan of the season, when the snow fell and magic began to grace the streets, Hoseok was quick to call you — Hoseok simply wanted to share the beauty of living with the most important person in his life: you. the joy he felt was enormous, completely pure, completely enchanting and when he spoke you swore you could see his smile in his words. “where are you? you have to see this! it started to snow. and it looks like it’s here to stay. are you at home? i’ll come by quickly so we can see the snow together.”

OLDER-BROTHER!HOSEOK who teaches you choreography to impress your friends. when you saw your brother dancing for the first time, you were 6 years old. as you left your room to go to the kitchen to steal a cookie, you passed the door of your brother’s room and the music playing intrigued you. you carefully opened the door and peeked inside. Hoseok was completely lost in the dance, he hadn’t even noticed you. but you didn’t need to be noticed. you needed to be as happy as he was when he danced. since then, whenever you asked, Hoseok taught you one thing or another, thinking he was teaching you so you could brag to your friends. but the reality was that you could feel the happiness of Hoseok dancing and the joy of doing it with you. “i know i’m late, sorry! the traffic was chaotic. but oh well. i’m here now. shall we begin? what song do you want to dance to?”

OLDER-BROTHER!HOSEOK who always thinks of costumes for two people for halloween. iconic and memorable duos were always saved in a small folder on his phone. whenever Hoseok came across a pair of something or someone he was quick to save the idea to present to you when he was with you. and it all started when you were still little, so little that the yellow in you resembled pikachu; but you didn’t want a pokemon, you wanted to be cool! cool like your brother and cool like a sponge! like spongebob! why didn’t they immediately see who you were? why did your brother have to paint himself pink for everyone to understand your disguise? but no matter how much you fought when you were little, you were now grateful, because only from that year on did you become cool enough for Hoseok to dress up with you. “for the last time, we’re not going like shrek and donkey! i still think bert and ernie’s idea is better. although i’ve been thinking about a mustache for a while now... what do you say about mario and luigi? last idea!”

OLDER-BROTHER!HOSEOK who does silly tiktok challenges with you. even though Hoseok was the embodiment of joy, he thought there was always something more he could do to give you the best life you could live. so when he felt the storm of life approaching, he was quick to act; with a collection saved under your name, you and Hoseok looked for challenges in the different videos that could brighten your day. they were brief minutes, you always gave up almost immediately, but for that time, for ten, twenty, thirty minutes nothing mattered. just you, Hoseok and a room of laughs. “i could tell by your tone that the day hadn’t gone very well for you. do you want me to come by? i can pass by the pizzeria on the way. i discovered some more challenges that you might like. what do you say? wanna forget the world for one night?”

OLDER-BROTHER!HOSEOK who is always talking about you to his friends. Hoseok was the older brother, but he was the one who admired you. for a lifetime you looked to Hoseok as an inspiration, always wanting to reach the same path as him, always seeking his approval. Hoseok was someone you wanted to be. but perhaps because life is troubled and the paths are uncertain, the truth is that you were no longer trying to reach Hoseok. you decided that your path was behind him, on his back, pushing him when he got tired. and it was for you he tried so hard. it was to not disappoint you, to show you that the world is beautiful, to let you know that it is worth existing. Hoseok knew you were always after him — it was his strength. and he couldn’t hide the admiration he felt for you. so young and with worlds conquered and universes planned — you were truly a force of nature. everyone would have to know, and Hoseok didn’t mind being your messenger. “i won’t stop talking about you because you haven’t stopped living yet. don’t you understand that your existence has to be celebrated? you keep saying that i am the light in this world, but don’t you see that my shine is the reflection of your love? without you, i would be nothing.”

OLDER-BROTHER!HOSEOK who has in a notebook all the jokes and promises you made. when you got chickenpox and had to spend eternities in bed without being able to play, Hoseok made a point of writing down in an old notebook everything you two were going to do as soon as you got better. 1. he would take you to the ice cream stand in the park; 2. you were going to play tag with your friends; 3. invent a new song for jumping rope; 4. … well, the list was extensive and only grew over time. there was no moment Hoseok wanted to miss, not when it was spent with you. Hoseok wanted to remember everything you guys did and everything that brought him joy. between full pages and worn lines, small photographs and receipts filled several notebooks that were kept with all the love Hoseok felt for you. “remember the christmas you turned 11? that game we make up in the snow. i was thinking about doing a choreography based on this, what do you think? it’s a good idea, i know. i’m glad i kept everything in detail.”

OLDER-BROTHER!HOSEOK who sits with you at the children’s table at family gatherings because he can’t behave around you. you brought out the best in Hoseok. his happier, more childish side only came out when he was with you. by your side, Hoseok returned to that childhood spent with you where there was nothing but smiles and laughter. you filled Hoseok’s heart with dozens of warm memories of jokes and arguments that were so pathetic it only made you laugh. pure happiness, total euphoria. you and Hoseok just wanted to relive those simpler days, where you were always together and there was nothing separating you. “next time we have to show mom that we are already grown up. so don’y you dare steal my food again. i’ll bite you for real this time!”

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roughdraftmonth · 3 months ago

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what's the plan? outline methods & tips!

Hey, Rough Drafters!

This is for all the outline fans out there. Here are some tips on different outline structures that might help you while you blueprint your Rough Draft! I hope there is something helpful here whether you are new to outlining or a veteran. This is not a comprehensive list. I totally recommend digging into other narrative structures, seeing how they tick, and deciding what works for you!

✏️ The Hero’s Journey • Created by Joseph Campbell (using the simplified terms from Christopher Vogler)

The Hero’s journey is the backbone of most outline structures. The only difficult thing is a lot of these terms are still derived from classic mythic structure and are less applicable today. However, since it has been so well dissected and discussed, there are so many resources to help transpose the terms to narratives that involve less sword-and-shield-heroism. It might take a little time to understand each beat and what it can mean for you and your story, but this is such a well loved structure and will give your story some solid backbone! This structure is best suited for an adventure story where characters travel from one place to another, but you can get creative about what that adventure or journey looks like. At its most basic, though, the hero’s journey will help take your characters on quests in a far off place—whether it’s in the stars, across the continent, or in a world of your own making.

⭐ Great media examples of ‘journey’ narratives are: Star Wars (pick one really), Little Miss Sunshine, Lord of the Rings, and Life of Pi.

✏️ Save the Cat • Created by Blake Snyder

Save the Cat was originally intended for screenwriting. Its best application is in scripting, whether that be screenwriting, plays, games, or comics. The first and last beats help to set a tone for your story, which is crucial for script writing and opening/ending shots in films, but this concept can be just as important in prose. Consider using guidelines from this structure to plan your first and last scenes before you get to November.

⭐ You will recognize Save the Cat in most films, and you can find beat sheets to match films for example on the Save the Cat website.

✏️ Six Stage Outline by Michael Hauge

This structure is great to keep simple with bullet points or expand for more depth. In this outline there are only 11 beats—6 stages and 5 turning points. Turning points are the highest moment of external conflict. Ideally, internal and external conflict escalate at each turning point. Identity deals with character’s misbeliefs about themselves as the narrative drives them to be their most authentic self. This outline focuses on developing both internal and external struggles. If your story is particularly character-driven, this structure might be the one for you.

⭐ Many stories follow this structure but the one I was taught off of is the greatest movie of all time. Shrek.

Try drawing your arc with notes out on paper. This arc can silly: include dead ends, drop offs, spirals, tangles, anything! This helps visualize the ups and downs of the narrative. Also great to do after you’ve completed outlining for a visual aid.

Sometimes... one outline model is not enough! Mix and match your favorite terms and structures in the manner you feel best assists your narrative structure. Don’t be afraid to make it your own!

Read in your medium (novels, scripts, poems, etc.) and notate pages and scenes where the major beats happen. This really helps engage your brain and makes you more familiar with plot structure!

My favorite method to outline is the MLA outline structure. Using a template like this helps me put all of my ideas into place. I don’t have an excuse for not knowing what to do. This helps lock me in!

✏️ Uh oh, Secret Plantser Agenda!

If outlining the ending first doesn’t work for you, outline everything EXCEPT the ending! Leave something for you to discover once you get there!

Sometimes you need to take a step back. Maybe don’t make a 10 page outline. Maybe make 10 bullet points. Outline as much or as little as you need to.

Occasionally overplanning can cause me to lose the joy in my writing! Make sure to really experiment to find what works best with you and your style! Sometimes that means... making a less in-depth outline. This is a call out post for me (Sarah with an ‘h’) specifically.

✏️ Technically, I like to combine elements of all three of these plot structures, but Michael Hauge’s 6 stage outline is my favorite. It’s a very good structure for adjusting to your outlining style, whether you want to do just the bare bones plot points, or you want to use them as the waypoints as you plot out scene by scene. I like to use the stages and turning points as the headings and subheadings to my outline. I hope these tips are able to help you in your outlining journey, both planner and plantser alike. If you know of any other helpful tips for outlining, please share them with us!

Thanks for tuning in, happy drafting!

-Sarah with an ‘H’

#creative writing #writeblr #writers #writing #writing challenge #writing community #artists on tumblr #books #fanfic #rdmo24 #rdmo #rough draft 2024 #rough draft month #rough draft #writers on tumblr #nano alternatives #nanowrimo alternatives #nanowrimo

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a-romantics-guide-to-life · 5 months ago

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╰┈ 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐧𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐰𝐞 𝐦𝐞𝐭 ┈➤

𝐬𝐮𝐦𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐲 : liam could’ve sworn this was the first time you’d met, so why does he feel like you know him better then he knew himself?

𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐠𝐠𝐞𝐫 𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬 : reincarnation modern!au, billy isn’t billy but rather liam, and he’s an actor, this part is pretty long

𝐚/𝐧 : inspired by my friends shenanigans and talks of reincarnation! hope you enjoy!!

𝐬𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐲𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐭!

William loved Billy the Kid.

Your very own kid brother, WIlliam, had declared his own nickname to be Billy because of just how much he loved the famous western legend. Ever since you had told him of the old famed outlaw, he’s been obsessed. He changed his nickname, his clothing style, he even tried speaking in a drawled western accent like they did the old black and white cowboy shows, which Billy also loved.

He printed and weathered his very own copies of the Kid’s wanted posters, decorating our small ranch house with homemade wanted posters of me, himself, and our Pa. He printed vintage movie posters and the famous old photo of Billy the Kid to show off to anyone who'd visit your little gem in the middle of nowhere in Southern California. He even begged you and your father to teach him how to shoot just so he can connect with his hero.

Billy had also coerced you into sewing him trousers and a blouse just like the Kid wore in his iconic wanted poster. He would steal your fathers hats and boots as well as your wine red cardigan, walk outside, toothpick in mouth, playing pretend.

Billy’d pretend that he was in the famed Lincoln County War, surrounded by Jesse Evans and his gang of misfits employed under Murphy and the House. He’d use his pretend gun and shoot all the bad guys down just as Billy the Kid had at the burning McSween house.

Of course, as Billy grew up, so did you. You had left your father’s ranch, your home, and moved to Los Angeles to finish high school and attend university.

In university, you ended up studying history and visual communication. You loved history, tales of old, myths and legends, all of it. You were the one who taught your kid brother about the famed Billy the Kid on a road trip through the American South-West once after all.

It was your senior year of high school when you had finally found your calling. During that school year, you had found yourself signed up for a theater class. However, you were terrible at acting. You couldn’t memorize lines and your singing voice was locked up in your shower, the key thrown away and never to be found.

Of course, your best friend, Lucy, had gotten the lead role of the play. She was born and raised in Hollywood, the land of movie magic. She was a natural, her improv and memorization skills making her one of the top people in that theater class. Her voice was akin to a sweet angel which is why the musical theater club always cast her as the lead, even in musicals such as Shrek where she played the big, burly green ogre to perfection.

However, Lucy was very particular about her costumes. She loved you for that exact reason. You, ever since you were a child, had been talented at sewing and costume making. And on top of that, you loved historical processes and authenticity. So, of course in an attempt to include you in their play, Lucy sang praises about your skill as a designer and a historian to your teacher who had awarded you with the title “Art Director”, whatever that meant.

What did matter was that you had the time of your life. Being an expert on history, especially the Wild West which was where the play was set in, you were considered the saving grace of the play. You had led the costume department, aka you and one other classmate, in creating historical-ish costumes for each and every one of the 21 different characters. You had also led the stage crew in creating the backdrops and settings with props which all were weathered by you to look as if you had plucked them straight out of Gunsmoke or even Bonanza.

You had discovered your love for design and history there, carrying that love with you as you went on to enhance your studies in college. As time passed on, you started to post your creations online, oftentimes getting commissioned to create costumes and even design pro global pieces based on time periods or films. Most of these posts of course were of Lucy in her costumes she asked you to make for her for her plays and musicals as she went on to professionally act and perform in live performances and movies.

Naturally, as your account and following grew, so did your opportunities. Soon, you found yourself being contacted by actors and actresses alike, asking you to design their premiere looks. Even movie studios contracted you as a consultant to help with their movies. Of course, you accepted the position. Even your papa and Billy had been ecstatic to hear about your new passion, especially so when you told them about your new consultant gig.

After accepting the job as a historical design consultant for movie studios, you often found yourself working with costume departments, helping make sure the costumes seemed plausible for their time period. You were consulted with on set designs, making sure furniture and other items on set actually existed during that time period. Everyday, you were working on something new, using history and your knowledge to bring cinematic artworks to life, transporting actors and viewers to a time or place.

Needless to say, you loved your job.

Even more so, the perks of said job.

You were paid a handsome check every month for just doing what you loved. You were invited to gala’s and dinners alike to celebrate the movies and shows you worked on. And not only that, because you were a consultant, you worked primarily from home only and for the most part, on your own time.

You were provided with the lush fabrics and delicate threads to create costumes and pieces. You were able to use a plethora of old sewing machines from one of the very first manual spinning ones to one of the most rare, a model from 1938 of which only 43 remain.

Your ‘office’ had to be your favorite perk of working in the movie industry though. It was located on the movie studios backlot in a building called ‘Creator’s Heaven’ because it was one of the largest creative spaces in all of Hollywood. It was an upscale warehouse with shelves towering with different fabrics, lace, and threads. It had rooms called “Makers Space” dedicated to sewing with TV’s and speakers fit for a movie theater to help with boredom when sewing by hand (although it does nothing for concentration especially when one’s favorite actor is on screen).

You also were given permission to create your own private projects in the Maker Spaces, even if you had to lug all your own materials to the rooms yourself. You loved putting on your favorite movie or show while you created costumes as a private designer or even for yourself. Of course, that’s how you found yourself in one of the rooms one warm night in late July.

You had promised your brother that you would make him a new costume for the Old Lincoln Days festival in New Mexico you went to every year. It was always one of the highlights of your lonely summers in LA. Your papa and lil Billy still lived on your darling little ranch which always made you homesick when your Pa would video call you and show you how much the cattle had grown or how full the fields were.

But every summer, you drove down south, picking up Billy, costumes in hand. You would then endure the incredibly dull landscape of the South-West for three days, stopping along other towns every now and then to rest, eat, and even stay the night.

You spent the drive singing to the songs on the radio in your little SUV, AC on full blast, the cool air would sting your noses but keep you from roasting alive in the heat of the sun. You would talk with Billy about his schooling, how life was going for you too. But by far, your favorite part had to be about how Billy’s eyes lit up at every mention of the movies you helped make. Truth was, while Billy still loved Billy the Kid, he also has fallen in love with many many other movies.

Sometimes, when your father would drive all the way to LA with Billy to visit you, you would also take Billy with you to work as an assistant of some sorts. Billy always was so energetic and buzzed with happiness whenever you did bring him along.

You always enjoyed seeing your Papa and Billy, even if it was only ever on a video call. You loved getting to see your baby brother grow up into middle school then to high school. He had decided to stay with your Pa, helping out on the ranch and attending school in town. He had grown so much too. He nearly towered over you at the tender age of 15. His legs may have grown longer but his smile still stayed as boyish as it always was.

Which is why you loved your road trips to New Mexico. Even if it was only for a little under a week, you loved getting time to spend with your kid brother. Billy and you also loved getting to dress up like they did in the Wild Wild West too. You always made sure to update Billy’s costume because of how much he grew in a year. But you? You always always wore the same get up. Dark chestnut trousers that met your hips, straps pulled over your shoulders which lay on top of your deep red blouse. Even a gun belt, the leather hanging a little loose on your waist.

You never knew why you always wore the same old clothes but it always felt right to wear when you visited New Mexico.

Liam loathed driving to New Mexico.

He didn’t understand why but it always felt wrong. And yet here he was, Garett and Evan in tow, his best friends in the entire world.

Growing up, Billy didn’t have much. His family moved from the big city to New Mexico in fact. His Ma worked night and day as part of the local Inn’s housekeeper. His Pa worked out on the ranches and farms, helping whoever would pay him while Liam stayed home in their small two bedroom cabin with his baby brother Jo.

Naturally, as both Jo and Liam got older, they too started to work. Liam helped his Ma and Pa however he could. He learned to ride a horse to help herd the cattle, harvest wheat and grain, how to herd cattle, how to sew, clean, and cook. He worked hard at night, helping his Ma at the Inn while going to school in the morning with Jo.

And that’s exactly how Liam’s life went on for the next ten years. Slaving the day away at school, trying to get an education while working at night to try and help pay the bills.

Yet it was in New Mexico that Liam had found his passion.

It was Liam’s 17th summer alive when his Pa had surprised him with a trip to Lincoln. The occasion? It had been a celebration of the official end of the Lincoln County war. The festival had been held for many years now, many tourists coming to visit the famous Old Lincoln Days festival where they celebrated Billy the Kid and his famous legend.

Little did all those tourists know, drive a little more North and you’d find that the Lincoln days weren’t too far gone.

Of course, Liam’s Pa didn’t do anything without good reason. It had taken Liam a little over five years to convince his father that they needed a car, the reason his Pa finally cracked? Liam told him that it had an A/C.

Turns out, the real reason that Liam’s Pa had taken him to Lincoln that fateful summer was all because he had signed up Liam for the lead role in the famous shooting reenactment. Every year, the first weekend of August, the festival would kick off with it’s old timey cantina’s and saloons. They even had elaborate Wild West costumes and ‘cowboys’ that would ride their steeds up and down the street, talking in drawled accents and jumbled up lingo that had to have been made up. They would take swigs from flasks and chew on long stems of wheat that rested in between their teeth.

Liam hated it. It sends shivers down his spine every time he even feels a whisper of a memory of that first time he played the Kid in the festival his father had volunteered him for.

Liam had only had three days to practice the scene, yet it was almost like muscle memory for him. They were reenacting the scene where Sheriff Pat Garrett shoots and kills the Kid.

It truthfully felt as if he had been in that exact same position. Why or when? Liam could never figure it out, no matter how much he wracked around his jumble of memories.

It was as if he had actually been walking down the streets of Lincoln, after dinner presumably. It was as if he felt the malicious eyes of Garett staring him down as he asked

“¿Quién es? ¿Quién es?“.

It almost felt right to fall to the Sheriff’s gun, almost as if he truly was William H Bonney who had lost everyone he’s ever loved to death who also begged for the sweet relief that he would find in the afterlife.

It always irked Liam. Nevertheless, he was just grateful that he got paid.

As the years passed, Liam started to fall in love with the role, volunteering every year up until he moved away for college. He wasn’t Billy every year, once he was actually Sheriff Garrett, but he always got to work with his best friends Evan and Garett, who he actually met at 17 while volunteering. In fact the three were so close that they all moved together to sunny California from arid New Mexico.

And they have been together ever since. They all fell in love with theater and acting, especially during the re-enactments they all did in the festival back home. The trio attended community college together, renting a small two bedroom apartment together. They all worked their asses off to make rent each month while studying Trigonometry and American History.

As for how they survived in a two bedroom apartment? Well, thanks to their very special schedules with work and school, only two of them would ever be sleeping at one time. Evan couldn’t properly function until at least 2 PM which meant that he slept through the morning and was out late at night. Garrett also had a very unique schedule, rather than sleeping ten hours at once, he split it up. He’d wake up bright and early at 4 AM, leaving for his morning job down at the police station where he helped sort paperwork and whatever, come back to the apartment to nap from a little after lunch till 6 PM where he and Evan would usually go out for drinks before attending class together.

Liam never really understood how those two functioned drunk on beer, learning in the middle of the night, and working odd hours. Liam had prided himself on being the most responsible of course. He’d wake up early as well, attending classes in the morning until lunch rolled around where he’d go to his job at an old family-owned diner.

He loved working at that little diner, it never failed to remind him of his Ma who also ran a diner and bakery back in New Mexico. She’d even open up a little pop up shop in Lincoln in time for the festival where she attracted tourists and locals alike with her delightful baked goods and savory dishes she spent hours on preparing.

It was moments like those that Liam thought of on the hard days. As the trio worked through community college, they also all started auditioning for other roles and jobs. Of course, being young and new to the whole acting scene, rarely did anyone choose the kids from the middle of nowhere New Mexico.

That is, until they held auditions for a rendition of the famous Billy the Kid story. Garett had been talking to an agent who had managed many many famous actors who were looking for new blood. It was through that agent that he had found the audition which he told the boys. Of course, Liam was ecstatic. At 20, Liam had been faced with countless empty email inboxes when it came to roles he auditioned for. Even Evan and Garett had consistently pulled Ad and modeling gigs. So, as one does when one is down on their luck, Liam remarked,

“Fuck it, what do I gotta lose?”

Liam regards that moment of uncertainty when he closed his eyes and clicked ‘Sign Up For Audition’ as the best thing he’s ever done.

He had driven to the theater where they were holding auditions all by himself since neither of the other two were gonna audition for any of the roles since they had booked another Ad campaign the week before.

In honesty, Liam was so nervous waiting in that line that slithered through the hallways filled with other boys and men around his age, height, and build. He could still feel the way that his hands nervously shook as he reread the script over and over and over again. He was usually good at memorizing things like math formulas and other lines of plays and musicals yet he just felt so jittery. Perhaps it was because he was playin’ Billy the Kid, a character he’s played before. Perhaps it was because he was from New Mexico and he had a hankering to do one of his states heroes good.

Regardless, Liam still walked straight ahead onto the stage, performing the lines as best as he could without choking on the words. Of course, Lady Luck refused to grace Liam at that moment where he had forgotten the line. He panicked and scrambled to recall all those years of playing Billy, speedily racking his brain for any form of assistance it could relay him with.

Of course, his brain ran on empty, nothing came out of his mouth. Or well, nothing came out of his mouth but his hands moved on instinct. Liam had quickly raised his gun from the belt they had given him to use as a prop. He channeled each of those years of learning how to actually shoot a gun as well as how to quickly draw it to move his arm at lightning speed.

And it must’ve worked because the casting directors yelled cut on the tape, urging Liam to come close to the table they sat at. They then truly surprised Liam by asking where he had learned to draw that fast. Liam explained that he had grown up in a small town just a bit away from Lincoln where he had learned almost everything he knew from his loving Pa.

He told them about his family, the farm he grew up on, and his experience on stage as Billy. They applauded him and snag praises of his ability as well as his knowledge on the outlaw. In truth, Liam was relieved that the casting directors had been impressed with his quick draw.

The pride Liam felt as the casting directors sent everyone else in line away as they started sharing the timeline and filming details. He felt his chest swell with happiness and giddiness as they began discussing the script and how the hours were gonna look while filming.

That day has truly been one for the books, seeing as Liam did journal.

He loved recounting and writing about his days and feelings. He always felt it was right from when he was younger till today, it just felt right. Yet, it was the one thing he couldn’t explain, it felt as if he had done it before.

But when?

The streets of Lincoln were alive with the buzz of laughter, happiness, and the allure of the Wild Wild West. The streets were filled with people who had arrived early to celebrate the Old Lincoln Days.

Of course, that group of people also included you and your brother.

You two would consistently try to get to the event early to enjoy all the festivities that were available. You would take your eager brother to the shooting range where you could shoot pellet shotguns at cans as they did in the old days to practice their aim. You would drag your poor brother to each of the shops to look at the lovely pieces of jewelry that artisans made.

Walking around the small town, you truly felt transported into the Old Lincoln days with people dressed up in all sorts of get ups from modern day cowboys, to old American debutantes. You loved the aura the town held as they celebrated their past. No matter how dark it was.

“Hey sis?” Billy's meek voice pulled your attention from the third jewelry store of the night. You loved looking at the dazzling gold and silver, you especially were fascinated by the deep dark blue sapphires that were lined up on the display.

“Yea Billy,” you turn to him, looking into his eyes that mirrored your fathers own. “Something wrong?”

“Nothing, just wonderin’ why you never buy anything from these jewelry stores that you visit every year.” You chuckled. Billy asked that every single year and every single year your answer was the same,

“Cause Billy, I got my trusty necklace. What else would I need? You know I just like browsing.” You smiled, slowly walking away from the stall. Your fingers instinctively found their way to your neck where lo and behold, your necklace was still hung loose from your neck.

Truth was you never could remember how you came into possession of the lovely chain. All you knew is that ever since you were young you remembered wearing the chain with a charm of a worn bullet swinging from the end of it. Even your father couldn’t recall when you had started wearing the necklace, it was as if it had been with you since the beginning of time.

“Well, can we start un-browsing and get some food at that one pub inside that old hotel?” He looked at you in his dapper new get up consisting of a simple dark striped blouse and trousers. However, the new gun belt around his waist was very much not simple. It had nearly taken you three hours alone to prep the tough leather you had used to create it. You could still feel the rough texture of the leather underneath your fingertips, the feeling of having to push and pull the thick needle up and down through the strong material. It had been a pain to make but seeing how happy your brother had looked when he wore it for the first time was worth it.

“Sure, why don’t we even grab some of those pastries you love so much while we’re at it?” You sling an arm around Billy’s tall frame, walking towards the small pop-up bakery your brother adored.

“Yes!” He laughed, sprinting to the shop in three seconds flat thanks to his inherently long legs. He quickly picked up his favorite pastry, turning to you once he got to the young boy at the cash register who couldn’t have been more than three years older than your own brother.

You smiled as they started talking, looking at the other wonderfully tasty looking breads that were on display.

“See anything you like dear?” You looked up at the woman behind the counter, her dark hair and warm eyes inviting you into conversation.

“Well, everything looks very delicious ma’am. I’m guessing you’re the mastermind behind these amazing pastries?” You smiled warmly at the woman.

“Why yes I am, my lovely son Jo is manning the register this year too. He's grown up so well, just like his brother.”

You turned to look at the two boys again, Billy showing Jo something on his phone.

“My own brother, Billy over there, absolutely loves your baked goods. Every year when we’re here, he has to come here to buy something at least once a day.”

“What loyal customers you two are! Your brother there reminds me of my ow-”

“MA!” Jo’s voice carried from the register, “can I go with Billy here to the pub? Liam texted and told me to meet him there and Billy here said he and his sis are already gunna go.”

Jo’s Ma sighed and chuckled at her son, her head shaking as she smiled, “Yes of course you can go meet up with your brother at the pub.” She quickly folded a box up, filling it to the brim with pastries. Nimbly, she folded the lid before walking to her son, taking his un-tied apron from him.

“Here, since you two have been coming here for years, why don’t you take this box of pastries, on the house.” Billy lit up, singing thanks ecstatically. He and Jo rushed out of the small shop, running towards the pub. You quietly thanked the lady for the pastries as you followed the two trouble makers out and back into the hustle and bustle of Lincoln.

You quickly catch up to the boys who have already pushed open the doors of the small but packed pub. There were tables crowded with people dressed as cowboys and sheriffs all toasting to the Regulators, people dressed as debutantes munching on tamales made by locals, and even people just in plain tees knocking down shots of tequila.

It was a very familiar scene and most definitely a welcome sight.

Billy and Jo sat down at one of the tables, further away from the bar of course, eagerly discussing their clothes which Jo was wearing a very similar version of. You sat down next to Billy, looking around as they happily chatted their head off in the already loud space.

They placed their order, continuing to chatter off about Billy the Kid and the reenactment happening tomorrow. You looked around, observing the costumes people wore.

“Hey Jo, who’re these folks?”

Your head snapped up at the sound of a rich, deep voice. You raised your head to look at the man who had just strolled on over to your table.

Liam had walked into the pub expecting his younger brother to be seated at their usual booth. What Liam hadn't expected was for his lil’ brother to be accompanied by another boy around his age and a woman. Where had a boy as young as Jo even found a girl to pick up already?

Liam walked on over only to be met with a view like no other. You were no girl, you were an angel. And when you looked up at Liam with those bright round eyes, Liam could have died a happy man. Everything caught his attention, your wavy hair in an updo, your soft lips which were begging to be kissed, and your necklace, a bullet hanging in between the valley of your chest.

“Liam!” Jo jumped, startling you out of your trance. You had been shocked by Jo’s older brother, Liam. His hair was the loveliest chestnut waves that begged for fingers to run through. He wore a dark blue blouse and deep burgundy trousers. His eyes were what captivated you the most. His deep blue eyes reminded you of the beautifulest sapphires that even the color of the ocean and night sky couldn’t even hope to beat.

Jo stood up, sending his chair back as he hugged his brother’s torso. Liam chuckled, sending shivers down your spine, committing the sound to memory. You smiled at the interaction which reminded you so much of yourself and Billy.

All four of you sat down again as the food arrived. You all shared the food, Jo and Billy continuing to chatter leaving you and Liam to your devices as you sat across from each other. You two averted your eyes from one another, heat rising to both your cheeks nervous to talk to the other.

Liam tried not to stare, really, but you were mesmerizing. You shined brighter than any star could, and your smile? Liam only caught a glimpse of it and yet he knew that the warm feeling he felt in his chest was not heat exhaustion.

“Sooo,” you started, trying to get the man across from you talking again,” I’m Billy here’s older sister, by the way. I don’t know if you need to or even want to know but my name’s,” you drawled, your voice getting quieter and quieter until you uttered your name.

Liam perked up at that, meeting your eyes once more. Where had he heard that name before?

He whispered your name and you could have sworn that the room had gotten 100 degrees hotter from the way his deep voice drawled the syllables of your name. “ As in the famous Billy the Kid’s lover?”

You shook your head chuckling. In all the years you have been alive, there has never been a moment where the first connection someone made with your name was the ill fated lover of William H Bonney.

“Yes, exactly that. How do you know that?”

“Well it ain’t that hard to connect darlin’, your kid brother’s the outlaw ‘n your his girl. Your parents must’ve loved the Kid.”

“Well actually, it was me who sparked Billy’s nickname, his real name’s William though so I guess he is the Kid. isn’t he?”

Liam laughed at that, small world isn’t it?

“Hey! What’s so funny over there mister?” You sternly gazed at the man. From afar, one could argue that Liam looked young and spry but once you take a closer look, he isn’t a boy at all. He's pure man, all six feet of him. Taut muscle toned his body which was broad and clean.

“Nothin’ darlin’, just, it’sa small world ain’t it? My name’s William too.” He smiled and your heart skipped a beat. You felt your lips turn upwards at the man in front of you.

“Well then, Mr. William, what do you do for a living?”

You smile as Liam happily responds, continuing the conversation late into the night. Even Billy and Jo had left to go roam around the festival. You and Liam continued your happy chatter, a small tug pulling at your heartstrings.

You’ve met before right? That's impossible, you two clearly have never seen each other. Yet why was it like Liam knew you better than anyone? Why did it feel as if you had already shared these smiles and laughs?

Was this even the night you two had first met?

sorry that its so long and it TOOK FOREVER to post, just been real busy anyways, i hope you enjoyed!

#billy the kid #billy the kid x reader #billy the kid 2022 #billy the kid fanfiction #tom blyth #tom blyth x reader #billy the kid reincarnation au #missing billy hours #loving billy hours #emi sanity

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kookies2000 · 2 years ago

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Just need to figuer something out.

Death 1 was at the Running of the Bulls. He most likely hasn't met Kitty in that death. He died flirting so yes, they hadn't met. He may be a ladies man but I'm sure his mama taught him how to respect a woman he's in a relationship with.

Death 2 was a poker game. Which is my favorite because he looks aesthetically pleasing to me.

Death 3, drunk and falls off a tower.

Death 4, buff Puss dies from weights.

Death 5, canon incident. We know he's met Kitty at this point and they're most likely still a couple. Considering there didn't seem to be any bad blood between them.

Death 6, shellfish.

And then 7, fire when baking with Gingy. At this point, we know he left Kitty at the alter and met Shrek.

8th is bell.

Ok! So we have a good hint of the timeline!!!

Puss grew up in an orphanage and meets Humpty. He gets mistaken for a their and is ram out of town.

Puss in Boots goes to this town and has his adventures. Hence the show.

Then he meets Kitty and reunites with Humpty, 1st movie. He's on life #2 here.

Then he meets the Tres Diablos. I'm assuming he was on life #2 or #3 at this point.

Then the Trident. Life #5 Assuming Kitty and Puss are together in this, this also means that he and Kitty were a couple when Puss jumped off a tower drunk. I'm sure Kitty didn't let him live that down. And this is a cursed thought. This also means they were a couple when Puss looked like this, life #4.

I hope to God no but at the same time yes because he was probably tired of Kitty always beating him in every sword fight. 🤣

And now it's safe to assume he's on his 6th life when he leaves the wedding. I love this theory where when he runs away from the wedding, he hops on a boat and goes to Far Far Away on that same day. And considering he's a thief, I don't think he would have enough money to eat at a fancy restaurant. So he most likely lost his 6th life when he ate shellfish at the castle. Which I love because I can just imagine Shrek and Fiona watching their friend die at the dinner table. They panic for a moment only for him to come back to life. 😂

And then of course, his 7th life when he's baking with Gingy.

8th life, he decides to go back to his adventuring and visits Spain again. He dies from a bell.

9th and final life, The Last Wish. He goes back to see his friend's and of course, he'll introduce his wife and best friend to them.

BOOM!!!!

Time line down!!!!

#puss in boots #puss in boots the last wish

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iheartfrogs1904 · 1 year ago

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MONSTERS IN MEDIA

I watched this video essay talking about the sympathy for monsters. I didn’t realize that when people were kids they never felt bad for the dragon that would be ‘slayed’ in those children books yk. I feel like especially with this generation people are being taught more empathy like with stories like shrek (ya I did use it as an example like don’t even) where the ‘monster’ is a character who deserves empathy, like shrek. Like he literally just vibes in his swamp and people hate on him, I see in a lot of monster stories it’s there’s always an element of the monsters being invaded, even when you supposed to root for the invader(humans) which is find really fascinating. Like in the back of our minds when creating stories like this there’s always an element of humans invading or the monster being a “living obstacle” (Curious Archive (n.d.) Sympathy for the Monster). Curious archive also brought up a point that I never noticed, that when the monsters are shown to be on the ‘good’ side or sympathetic too they go up against an alien, a different type of monster. He mentioned colonialism in the YouTube video as well and it made me wonder like why these monsters need to go up against something otherworldly to show that they are worthy of sympathy from the other side, I’m referring mostly to Kaiju(mainly Godzilla) at this moment. Even in these stories they emphasize that humans are somehow separate from the “natural” order and the monster is there to protect it or the other way around, there is never the message of both should exist together without the existence of another monster threat to both sides. It is that colonial mindset that we are separated from nature that I think these tropes stem from, which makes sense especially with Kaiju when looking at the origins of it. Why does there need to be a side of humans vs monsters/nature instead of humans learning to be with monsters/nature again? That’s also why shrek is good because he helps the other animals in the forest and helps Fiona be herself which I really love :). Another take on sympathy for the monster is how we looks at marginalized people, like in Guillermo del toros movie the shape of water. I love the portrayal of how the monster is as an actual being and not just a crazy fish guy, and ya the main girl does get with him but it’s the way he understands what it is like for her in a world that at the time (and still today honestly) didn’t accept or care about disabled people, you can see in the other two supporting characters they are also marginalized as well and it makes sense why they were the ones to help fish guy n the main girl escape, because they too understood what it was like to be perceived as an other in their society. This trope doesn’t even have to apply to monsters specifically and just the “bad” side in general in stories as you can see time and time again a lot of villains are made to be disabled or marginalized which again is why I love the shape of water, shrek and also megamind too because they subvert these tropes, humanizing these dehumanized characters and actually respecting them in their story as people and not just as a “living obstacle”.

I DEFINITELY RECOMMEND WATCHING CURIOUS ARCHIVES VIDEO SYMPATHY FOR THE MONSTERS because he voiced everything I thought and more in that video :).

#shrek #shrek 2 #shrek is love #shrek franchise #megamind #dreamworks #villain #monster #kaiju #godzilla #king kong #the shape of water #storytelling #random #thoughts #shrek is life #shrek the third #shrek memes #shrek 3

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artsywriter25 · 2 years ago

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Let’s talk about Kung Fu Panda 4

Okay, so we finally got some updates on KFP4, the plot, the director and what to expect to see in the film. My reaction to this is….mix.

On one hand, I’m so happy we got something! But on the other hand, I’m just really nervous and I don’t like this deflated feeling. So I’m writing this out to share my thoughts and wanting to hear what the fandom thinks. I’ll try not to make this too long or sound like a rant, I’m going straight to the point and talk about the good and bad about KFP4.

So first let’s talk about the director: Mike Mitchell

……Oh boy.

Ok I’m not gonna give the guy any crap, I’m willing enough to give him a chance. Yes I know he directed Trolls, but he also directed Shrek Forever After. I looked back at that movie after The Last Wish and it’s not really that bad. It was actually sweet and serious in some parts. And that’s what I hope this director will do, have the 4th film at least serious in some parts and don’t make it too goofy or jokey where it feels awkward.

Now on to the story and this is the best way I can summarize this from a few articles I’ve read:

“ Po is getting promoted to be the spiritual leader of the Valley of Peace, but he has to choose someone to take his place as the new Dragon Warrior. He catches a theft fox who he could see potential in their skills but they don’t get along. But Then a Chinese sorcerer known as ‘The Chameleon’, has summon Po’s past villains from the dead. Now Po and his (student?) must journey together and stop this new villain. ”

So judging by the information that we got, it sounds like many years have passed since the third movie. Po becoming leader actually worries me because it’s probably hinting that Master Shifu may pass away and now Po has to take his responsibilities (This is just a guess so sorry Shifu fans!).

There is also this fox character they have mention in the articles which they can’t seem to get the name right and they keep flipping their gender. First it was misspelled as Shen, then it was Chen and Zhen so I’m just gonna call them Fox for now on.

I wonder what kind of story arc will they give Fox. What’s their backstory? What kind of lessons they must learn? Does Po see himself in them or are they both different with different views? These are some questions I hope they answer. Giving Po a student to teach was a direction I theorized DreamWorks will go down and I’m glad they did. The trilogy had Po as a student, now taking the role of masterful teacher, it make sense to passed down those experiences to someone. I can really image the funny shenanigans they can get in to, along with the Furious Five. I think it would have been awesome if they each had a student too and they all come together fighting the villains with the skills they were taught. If there’s one thing I’m really worried about is the Five getting pushed aside for this new character or Fox ending up being a perfect character. Have Fox be flawed, have them be a kid we can relate and root for and something that the kids will like too.

Now let’s talk about my most favorite thing of all: THE VILLAINS!!!

OH MY GOD MY FANGIRL IS TRYING TO TAKE OVER! TAI LUNG, SHEN AND KAI ARE COMING BACK!! AND I DON’T KNOW IF THIS IS A GOOD OR BAD THING!!??

I am shock, like I never expected they go down this route. Story wise, I understand why the three shouldn’t come back as they served their purpose as villains, but no, they are bringing them all back. A actual animation studio is listening and giving the fans what they wanted??

DreamWorks must be watching their fandoms, that’s the only explanation I can think of. They must have saw all of our fanarts and fanfics and went like “Oh damn, they really love are villains…you know what, let’s bring them back.”

So how will this affect the story? I honestly don’t know, maybe Fox has to learn all body, mind, and spirit in order to help Po and the Five.

Now what I’m really surprised is they choose a chameleon to be the forth villain. I did some research this morning, and there’s not that many species that look intimidating. But if they could make a peacock threatening, I’m sure they can make a chameleon threatening too. I even looked up about sorcerers in China and I think they meant shamans. Chinese shamans are known to be wizards or spirit mediums, this could mean the Chameleon may have some connection to the spirit realm, which I hope they explored more on. I read some of this under Wikipedia, its very interesting.

And that’s all I have to say for Kung Fu Panda 4. I am a little worry for this film but I’m not gonna get worked up about it, I’m gonna stay positive that it will work and I’m sure it will. The only thing that could save this film is the animation. I think KFP is perfect for that hybrid spiderverse animation.

But what do you guys think and are you still excited for the sequel?? If you wanna discuss anything about this I’m all ears.

#kung fu panda #Kung Fu Panda 4 #kfp #kfp4 #Dreamworks #sharing some thoughts #discussion #artsy's writing

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marciabrady · 2 years ago

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as i was thinking about both fiona and odette one day, i realized how many similarities they shared! fiona transforms into an ogre at night, while odette transforms into a swan by day- literally recalling fiona's curse: "by night one way, by day another."

in their respective films, they're both seen healing parties that been injured with arrows back to health:

someone must've had to teach them how to heal said arrow wounds...with fiona, specifically, i feel like she's a product of the early 2000s. in certain moments, they make her this traditional princess for us to laugh at, and in other moments she's like this badass fighter, but they don't explain where those things came from...like who taught her how to fight? then my mind started opening up to the possibility that odette and fiona were somehow related/their stories intertwined

upon further thinking upon this theory, i thought about odette's formative years as portrayed in the opening number of her film. she's seen as being a prim princess with proper manners, but also someone that's combative and isn't afraid of a physical confrontation

ok so remember this. BUT ALSO there's a frog called jean bob in swan princess, who claims that he's actually a prince and that, if odette should kiss him, he'll regain his human form

you know who the voice of jean bob is? JOHN CLEESE AKA FIONA'S FATHER, KING HAROLD, THE FROG KING

this convinced me that fiona's ogreism is a recessive gene from king harold since she, too, turns into a green swamp-dwelling creature, similarly to a frog, just like her father.

BUT if it's recessive, that means it would've had to have been inherited from both sides...which would only be plausible if her mother had a similar transformation spell she was under- say, a SWAN TRANSFORMATION SPELL

also, in shrek 2, fiona's mother says the following about how she met fiona's father:

"don't you remember when we were young? we used to walk by the lily pond and (they were in bloom) our first kiss."

um, our first KISS

also, both odette and lillian (fiona's canonical mother) have feathered blonde hair. another connection- in the third film, fiona's mother is seen head-butting through a brickwall and freeing the princesses from a prison. when fiona is shocked, her mother replies:

"well, you didn't actually think you got your fighting skills from your father, did you?"

odette is a fighter and, going along with my earlier point, the one that i think taught fiona how to safely remove arrows! so odette HAS to either be fiona's mother or cousin and lillian is her aunt or mom...it all connects

also, not for nothing, but odette is the only princess to have an onscreen awkward phase (which relates to fiona feeling ugly) and odette is literally a ginger with braids at that time, which is fiona's signature look

furthermore, in the beginning of the swan princess, the parents arrange a marriage between derek and odette. in the hopes that the prince and princess will fall in love, the parents make them spend every summer together from the age of 6 to 16, praying they'll develop a romance. odette secretly likes derek the entire time, but derek hates her. it isn't until their final meeting, when she's grown up and conventionally attractive, that he takes to her and quickly announces to, "arrange the marriage!" odette interjects, "wait!" he replies, "what? you're all i ever wanted...you're beautiful." and she LITERALLY says, "thank you...but what else?" he blankly stares at her and says, "...what else?" to which she replies (source):

i can see this being a generation curse where fiona, too, needs to learn this lesson and i think, since odette already knows there's more than beauty, it causes...tension between she and fiona. fiona being like, "YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND WHAT IT'S LIKE TO BE LIKE THIS."

but also, the frog king, the swan princess, the ogre princess- this is def a family line COME ON

also since odette knows it isn't what it seems (which the prince has to master in the swan princess, as per odette's father)/there's more than just beauty, that's why i think she (lillian) wasn't shocked when fiona came back in shrek 2 as an ogre, whereas harold was visibly more upset. also, idk if you all know but there's a deleted scene with a character called dama fortuna that asks fiona to choose between 'beauty' and her 'happily ever after.' fiona chooses beauty like...again, the generational curse!

this would prop fiona up to be a perfect mix between her parents. like odette, she sees past appearances and knows there's more than beauty which explains why fiona doesn't judge shrek that much. she's initially disappointed he's an ogre purely because of her curse but otherwise, she doesn't care. meanwhile she can't accept herself because she takes half after her father, harold, who is so unaccepting of himself but also those around him (ogre shrek and fiona). like it makes SO much sense that fiona would be a combination of these two (source)

harold's need for "beauty", ie people who are societally acceptable in his eyes, leads to him literally imprisoning his daughter to a tower so no one sees her as an ogre. meanwhile, with lillian, she's way more accepting which is why i never understood how she would also send fiona off, especially since she willingly married harold the frog king.

BUT if you subscribe to my theory that she's odette

it would absolutely make sense she's cosign on sending fiona off because of the line above ("you're all i ever wanted; you're beautiful"). when fiona's growing up, odette/lillian notices fiona parroting a lot of her father harold's harmful rhetoric. where harold sends fiona off to hide her, i think odette/lillian sends her off so fiona learns the same lesson harold/frog king had to learn (it isn't as it seems/there's more to life than beauty or being accepted by society) and allowing her daughter to mentally develop in her formative years without the negative influence of her father or the unrealistic beauty standards/wrong priorities that far far away sends forth as an allegory of the entertainment and beauty industry (fairy godmother).

BUT i think with time, odette/lillian starts to feel bad and urges harold to bring fiona back, which brings us to the fourth movie with that scene where she convinces harold to make a deal with rumpelstilskin to bring fiona back

i have so much more to say on this but i'm wrapping this up for now and am qualifying this as the thesis of my theory

#the swan princess #shrek #princess fiona #princess odette #marciabrady #mine #some of this requires suspension of disbelief because yes i understand fiona's mother's canonical name is lillian BUT #here needs to be more discussion around these two female characters in general because they're incredible!

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sixty-silver-wishes · 1 year ago

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"Let things that happen onstage be just as complex and yet as simple as they are in life. For instance, people are having a meal, just having a meal, but at the same time, their happiness is being created, or their lives are being smashed up."

- Anton Pavlovich Chekhov

With that in mind, let's talk about the Shrek 2 dinner sequence.

No, seriously. While perhaps not as intricate and dramatic as Chekhov's Ivanov, which tells the story of a man's decline into depression through heartbreaking subtext in the dialogue between himself and his peers as he gradually alienates himself from them, the dinner sequence in Shrek 2, I believe, is a three-minute masterclass in a similar sort of storytelling to the one that characterizes many of Chekhov's dramatic works. Chekhov was a big advocate of the "show, not tell" principle, and the Shrek 2 sequence demonstrates a fabulous exercise in this sort of writing, assisted by genius camera angles. I unironically love this sequence and how much it can tell us about writing- it demonstrates a complex show of dramatic tension and subtext, pacing, character dynamics, and cinematography, while also progressing the wider story and balancing the drama with the Shrek franchise's style of humor- which is not an easy feat to pull off. I really want to talk about this sequence and dissect it, because it's honestly taught me a lot as a writer.

So for context, in case you haven't seen Shrek 2, Shrek, an ogre, and his wife Fiona are having dinner with Fiona's parents, the king and queen. Due to a magic spell, Fiona has been permanently transformed into an ogre after falling in love with Shrek- which she gladly accepts, but her parents do not. With them is Donkey, a comic relief character. Due to the curse, Fiona's parents locked her in a tower until her "true love" could rescue her- which, of course, turned out to be Shrek in the previous movie. We see in this sequence that Fiona's parents have different attitudes towards the couple; later on in the movie, it's revealed that her father was the Frog Prince, contributing to her parents' opinions on magic spells impacted by "true love's kiss."

So, onto the scene.

First, we get an establishing shot of Shrek at the table, which is zoomed out to show Fiona and her mother sitting on either side, and Fiona's father on the opposite end. Obviously, two characters on either side of a long table is an easy way to show they are opposed to each other. Although the characters haven't spoken yet, an uncomfortable mood is quickly established- Shrek's facial expression looks uneasy. Behind him is a stuffed hawk and a fireplace- perhaps a nod to the fact that ogres are seen as predators to be hunted with torches and pitchforks. On either side of Shrek are two candelabras; he is surrounded on three sides by fire and the lighting is primarily cast upon him. The hawk's talons are also pointed down directly at him, and the scene is lit in an ominous red light.

The next few shots establish all the conflicting moods that will be at odds during the scene. Queen Lilian is, if you will, attempting to be an "ogre ally." She attempts to be accepting towards Shrek and Fiona's decision, but is still clearly uncomfortable. King Harold, however, makes no attempt to hide his contempt. It's him and Shrek- again, seated at the opposite ends of the table- who will have the most direct conflict. (Perhaps this is a small detail, but Lilian and Harold are dressed in pink and blue, respectively- feminine- and masculine-coded colors that contrast with each other. This may reflect their adherence to conservative societal norms, specifically relating to gender roles and relationships.)

No dialogue has been spoken yet, and the conflict is still being established. We get a POV shot of Shrek's plate, consisting of escargot and multiple different kinds of utensils, after Shrek nervously picks at it. The composition of the plate and utensils is complex, elegant, and orderly, again highlighting that Shrek is out of place.

The silence is first interrupted as Shrek picks up a snail with his fingers and bites into it with a loud crunch. The first domino has fallen; Shrek foregoes the utensils to eat in a manner familiar to him, creating a marked contrast with the way we assume Fiona's family will eat. Afterwards, we have a shot of Harold looking even angrier; Shrek has broken a social norm. Shrek smiles with his mouth full; we get Lilian looking even more nervous as she eats her escargot with a fork, and Fiona drinks from a glass of water.

Fiona, who is unwillingly assigned the role of mediator between the two parties, belches after drinking the water- a behavior expected from Shrek. She excuses herself politely, which is understood as an attempt at keeping the peace. However, Shrek cracks a crude joke ("better out than in, I always say!"), and they both laugh as the second domino falls. Lilian and Harold look uncomfortable; Fiona laughing at Shrek's joke and displaying chemistry with him communicates that she is on Shrek's side, not theirs. Noticing their discomfort, Shrek and Fiona stop laughing and appear dejected.

The tension is built further as Donkey enters. Donkey plays up the comic relief the entire time, but also adds to the tension more than he diffuses it. While friendly, he's loud and messy, and while Lilian looks at him curiously, Harold treats him rudely, shouting "bad donkey; down!" Fiona again attempts to ease the tension, explaining that Donkey helped rescue her. Donkey proudly agrees, but then demands a bowl for himself from the waiter. Shrek facepalms and says "oh boy;" there is now another conflicting dynamic in the room. Donkey, who has no interest in conforming to social norms, heightens the tension as Shrek and Fiona attempt to appease Fiona's parents.

Another domino falls. Shrek drinks from the bowl of water given to him, which is supposed to be used to wash his hands. Fiona gets his attention, and dips her hands in the bowl to signify its purpose without making it obvious to her parents that Shrek doesn't know what the bowl is for. Shrek doesn't pick up on the hint, and attempting to be polite, compliments the Queen on the "soup," even using the spoon- once again, trying to conform to the cultural norms of Fiona's parents. However, this time, he's supposed to use his hands and not utensils, as opposed to the escargot, where he was supposed to use utensils and not his hands. The only lines exchanged in these few seconds are:

Fiona: "um, Shrek?" Shrek: "Ohh, sorry. Great soup, Mrs. Q." Fiona: "No no no, darling."

However, through the action and the subtext given from the background of the film, the audience knows the tension is heating up. While only a few lines of dialogue are exchanged, we know from the few seconds of the "soup" sequence that Shrek is having more difficulty conforming, Fiona is having more difficulty keeping the peace, and her parents are having more difficulty masking their discomfort. Donkey seems completely oblivious to the conflict, paradoxically heightening it through contrast.

Queen Lilian starts the first actual conversation of the scene, a minute and 22 seconds in. She asks Shrek and Fiona where they live. As the audience, we know that they live in a swamp, but Shrek and Fiona don't want to say that because they want to appease Fiona's parents. Fiona answers, "Shrek owns his own land." This carefully-calculated answer isn't a lie, but it's not the whole truth, either. "Land" could mean anything, and the idea that Shrek owns land is an attempt to present the idea that Shrek is assimilated into the dominant culture. As ogres are presented as second-class (or should we say Shrekond-class) citizens in the Shrek universe, the idea that Shrek owns land may communicate that he is wealthy and conventionally successful, and is able to climb the social ladder and provide Fiona with the life her parents wanted for her.

Shrek, still nervous but playing along with what Fiona has laid out for him, confirms that they live in an "enchanted forest, abundant with squirrels and cute little duckies." Again, this is an attempt to console FIona's parents. But Donkey, unaware of what's going on, interrupts with, "what? I know you ain't talking about the swamp!"

Another domino falls as Shrek attempts to silence Donkey, but Harold latches onto this line, instead of keeping up the crumbling façade that everyone else (sans Donkey) is trying to uphold. Sarcastically, he responds with "an ogre from a swamp? How original," as Donkey laps from his water bowl. Now that Fiona's parents have acknowledged Shrek and Fiona as "living in a swamp," it becomes even harder to diffuse tension, as this is something they find undesirable. Because Donkey has confirmed it, Shrek and Fiona also can't fall back on the "enchanted forest" excuse they used earlier; it also affirms the stereotype for Harold that ogres live in swamps. Through his “how original” line, Harold is commenting that Shrek is not assimilated and fits the mold of a stereotypical ogre- perhaps suggesting he believes him to fit other ogre stereotypes, such as being monstrous, crude, or aggressive.

Despite the fact that Harold is now fully committed to heightening the tension, Lilian still attempts to resolve it- deepening their own rift of conflict. She comments that it will be a "fine place to raise the children," trying to reconstruct the idea that Shrek and Fiona can still live the nuclear family life that she wants for her daughter. However, this is immediately shattered, as Shrek and Harold- shown again from opposite ends of the table- choke on their food in shock- Shrek because he and Fiona are not interested in having children at the moment, and Harold because he doesn't want his daughter having children with Shrek.

To recap, before the dinner, Shrek and Fiona shattered two of the King and Queen's expectations: 1. Fiona has married Shrek, an ogre. 2. Fiona is now an ogre herself. However, at the dinner- a minute and 53 seconds in- they have shattered three more of their desires for Fiona's married life:

Shrek, Fiona's husband, cannot perform conformity through manners and etiquette.

Shrek and Fiona live in a swamp, and not somewhere expected for a prince and princess.

Shrek and Fiona are not currently interested in having children and raising a traditional nuclear family- and if they did have children, they would be ogres.

From here, the tension still keeps rising, and the scene is only a little over halfway through. We get another POV shot from Shrek's perspective, as he coughs up the spoon- the symbol of performing that etiquette- and it bounces across the table towards Harold. Fiona, Lilian, and Donkey all look at Shrek in surprise; Harold looks at him in disgust.

Shrek continues to express his discomfort while being polite, saying it's a bit early to be thinking about children. Harold makes no attempt to hide his prejudice, saying "indeed; I just started eating," blatantly implying that the idea of Shrek and Fiona having children revolts him. Lilian responds with an irritated "Harold!" and Fiona says "Dad, it's okay," but Shrek has refused to let go of the argument, feeling insulted. He responds with "what's that supposed to mean?", trying to force Harold to voice his prejudices expressly.

The argument is now in full swing. Harold responds to Fiona (while gesturing at Shrek with the spoon) with "for his type, yes;" Shrek answers angrily with "my type?" Harold hasn't yet explicitly voiced that he doesn't like Shrek because he's an ogre, but at this point, it's completely obvious. Donkey finally picks up on the tension and excuses himself to go to the bathroom, but returns quickly to the table as the main course is brought in. Harold and Shrek glare at each other from across the table as the background music picks up into a waltz and the camera shows the waiters walking around the table with an elaborate meal- the setting of an upscale royal dinner is more forcibly established, but Harold and Shrek are no longer interested in playing up appearances.

Lilian and Donkey see an opportunity to make one final attempt to diffuse tension with the arrival of the meal- Donkey jokes, "Mexican food, my favorite!" (despite the meal resembling a Medieval European-style feast) and Lilian encourages everyone to eat, which Donkey enthusiastically agrees to. However, Harold and Shrek refuse to let the argument go.

Harold violently grabs a lobster from the table, saying, "I expect any grandchildren from you would be..." and Shrek grabs his own plate, angrily responding, "ogres, yes." Shrek is the one to drop the word "ogre,” which everyone has mostly been avoiding this whole time (aside from Harold’s “ogre from a swamp” line). In this, he displays he's unashamed of the fact he and Fiona are ogres, a pointed insult towards Harold, who is clearly prejudiced against them but refuses to say so explicitly.

Lilian cuts in with a "not that there's anything wrong with that," and then a pointed, "right, Harold?" She's still trying to downplay the conversation and keep the peace, while wanting to communicate to Shrek and Fiona (especially Fiona) that she's not prejudiced against them, (even if she is, albeit to a lesser extent than Harold). Harold then makes an explicitly prejudiced statement relying on stereotypes of ogres- "No, no- that is, if you don't eat your own young!" while slicing through the lobster with his knife.

Fiona responds with a shocked, "Dad!" before Shrek fires his own retort- "we usually prefer the ones who have been locked away in a tower!" and tears apart the roast turkey on his side of the table, biting into it forcefully- a show of rejection against the etiquette he has been expected to display. As we know from previous context, this line is a thinly-veiled insult at Harold and Lilian, who had locked Fiona in a tower throughout her childhood and adolescence. Furthermore, Shrek is here communicating that Harold is a hypocrite- he criticizes Shrek's ability to be a parent, but also neglected his own daughter.

Fiona gives an angry "Shrek, please!", but Harold immediately picks up on the barb, responding with "I only did that because I loved her!" From there, the argument fully escalates, turning physical as a food fight breaks out. As both Shrek and Harold fully disregard manners and social etiquette, poor Lilian sadly remarks, "it's so nice to have the family together for dinner" with a distraught look on her face as food flies past her. The argument culminates in Shrek and Harold fighting over a roast pig and the characters all shouting each other's names in a last-ditch attempt to stop the fighting (and Donkey shouting his own for comic relief). As we get a final shot of the destroyed dinner scene, Fiona- who has attempted to mediate the argument this whole time- runs out without a word, as both Harold and Shrek give each other angry glances.

From here, the rest of the film unpacks and resolves the arguments built up in this short three-minute scene. What started as a quiet dinner quickly, but gradually, evolved into a full-blown argument about bigotry, societal norms, and family expectations- all themes that carry the character arcs of Shrek, Fiona, Lilian, and Harold. The genius about this scene is that the tensions were always there from the beginning; the majority of the conflict started before the actual physical fight- happening, as Chekhov said, as "complex and simple as in real life."

#writing #film analysis #shrek #shrek 2 #chekhov #man those are weird tags to have together #long post #shrekhov???

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cubicaldropsofbeigelove · 13 days ago

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A shot of melancholia on the house.

Tinted window glass, a wide spectrum of colours, lights and my melancholia

I haven't moved in 3 days or weeks with my back to god I sit in my church

Food , cigarette butts, and beer bottles lay awry on the floor, some broken some not.

Tinted window glass, a wide spectrum of colours, lights and my melancholia

Now I stare at all those colors I hate them all I envy them all

I hate pink, because she loved to wear a pink panther hoodie, with a coffee stain I gave on the right sleeve

I hate green, because she loved all the green monsters like Mike Wasowski, Shrek and Grinch

I hate blue, because she used to claim that was her favorite color, but only I knew she actually liked the color of mud

I hate red, because she wore a wine-red lipstick and red one piece and took me on dates at a children's park.

I hate orange cuz she taught me how to eat orange marmalade with pickles

I hate yellow, because she loved it, just because it existed, without any reason to.

I hate all the colors I envy them all.

I hate brown too, because her hair was brown, her eyes were brown, so was her coffin.

#poetry #my writing #writing #writers on tumblr #creative writing #writers and poets #spilled poetry #dead poets society #love poem #sad poem

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hoenn-hakase · 2 years ago

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So I was watching this video on YouTube and this comment in particular caught my interest.

And while there's a lot of timeline stuff in Shrek Forever After that makes NO sense or never gets explained, it's still a really fun movie so I forgive it. But I just had some thoughts I wanted to save for myself.

"We know the only reason Puss met Shrek in the first place was because he was paid a LOT of money and curiosity got the better of him. I wonder if in that timeline all of Farquad's men failed so he hired Puss. Even if Farquad hates fairy tale creatures, we saw in the first movie he's not above using them for his own operations. I kinda like the idea that like with Shrek, he might have thought if this cat is really "The Legend" then saving a damsel should be a cakewalk. And if he died? So what? Farquad doesn't care, it'd be one less creature. It's possible then Puss did die during the rescue but because he could just bounce back, he was able to keep going. Fiona is grateful to be saved but... It's a cat. She can't marry him. Not just a cat, but we saw her anger with Farquad when she first learned Shrek was just sent to grab her for him, she probably pitched a fit too to realize there was no Marquis waiting for her like in the Puss in Boots stories. And Puss often tries to give Shrek advice (not always good, but he's got experience) he probably talked to her about her situation and concluded maybe it's time she finds out where her future lies. If True Love won't come to her, maybe she should look for it. And if she helped him in the escape, he originally decided to stay with Shrek because he spared his life, so maybe he stayed with her until his debt could be paid. Or maybe he still took her to Farquad and that's when her ideals of True Love was crushed because he wasn't in love with her, probably still threatened to have her killed / returned to the tower for being a monster, and after escaping Dulock found out she can't even go home because Far Far Away was taken over. So she started focusing more on fighting and gave up on being human. This idea about the Wolf still showing up makes me curious though since working with the rebellion forces (Fiona has learned a lot of martial arts but Puss could have taught her the blade), it's dangerous work. Maybe he used to help a lot more in the previous years but was forced into retirement here too by one death too many and Fiona just spoils him because he's her only real friend. She gets along with the other ogres, but they never explained in that timeline either how Puss knows about her curse. She might have told him at one point since he's her pet, but it just makes sense to me that in this timeline they knew each other before she started / joined the rebellion."

#Shrek #shrek 4 #shrek forever after #Fiona #Puss in Boots #Alternate timelines

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llycaons · 2 years ago

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I've been revisiting youtubers recently. some I like under the cut

Folding Ideas: a marvelously well-spoken social and media critic, with commentary on symbolism in film. his breakdowns of the editing failures of films such as Suicide Squad and The Snowman are entertaining and informative, and he has mini-episodes on narrative concepts like Thermian arguments (the Watsonian of Watsonian vs. Doylist explanations) and ludonarrative dissonance. politically on top of it (mostly), extremely astute, and a pleasure to listen to. See Earthsea and Adaptation Sickness, End of Evangelion and the Audience Author Membrane, The Thermian Argument, The Art of Editing and Suicide Squad, Cinematic Trainwreck – The Snowman: A Vlog, Cooking Food On The Internet For Fun And Profit, Annihilation and Decoding Metaphor

Ariel Bissett: a delightful young Canadian book reviewer takes us on her journey of renovating her old house. mostly cosmetic changes rather than structural as she's essentially self-taught, but she's a charismatic and charming host with a unique eye for style and color. her design sense matches closely with my own (we're both Monet fans), so I find her videos very soothing and satisfying to watch. I haven't seen any of her book reviews, but she seems thoughtful and passionate. I like all her house videos, but particularly the three yearly house tours so far (intro video, one year in, two years in,), Building The Perfect Guest Room, Complete Office Renovation!, Living Room Renovation To Look Like Emma's House!, Building The Perfect Reading Nook, Transforming the Smallest Room In My House With Wallpaper, and honestly all the others. it's a real pleasure to see the changes she makes over the months. I can't wait for the kitchen redo!

Accented Cinema: probably my favorite youtuber right now. he's a Chinese Canadian filmmaker with a focus on films and film-making processes, both his own and those from China (most often) and other non-American countries (occasionally). his videos have brought me to tears more than once. honestly I love too many to list all of them so I'll just list my top favorites but I highly recommend this channel. I loved Why China Cared About Kung Fu Panda, Shadow: Adapting Chinese Art, Who Killed Captain Alex: What Makes a Movie Good?, Chinese Animation: In Search of a Style (brief shot of mdzs donghua at the very end), Why Ghibli's First 3D Looks Soulless, East vs. West: Differences in Story Philosophy, Mahjong & Crazy Rich Asians, Why Are Kung Fu Movies So Patriotic, How I Made a Fake Video Essay

Local Script Man: a professional screenwriter whose advice and commentary on creating stories is really interesting and different than what you tend to see on tumblr. he tends to be kind of harsh but not in mean-spirited way, just in a way that makes it obvious that he knows what he's talking about. I like Oops No Plot, The Key to Writing Freakishly Good Dialogue, and both parts of 5 Essential Storytelling Rules I Just Made Up (part 1, part 2)

Schaffrillas Productions: a guy breaks down and ranks various animated films, often by studio. these videos are just a lot of fun. I liked his videos on the Shrek franchise (one, two, three, four, and the musical), and Raya vs. Encanto - How One Message Failed and Another Succeeded

Super Eyepatch Wolf: this man is, as we speak, convincing me to read Berserk. he has a slow, dramatic presentation of his arguments that draw you in and a great sense of humor. All of his "Why You Should Watch" videos are interesting even if you don't have any plans to watch the show he's describing, because they give an overview of the themes and strengths without spoiling it. he also presents a wealth of information on manga/anime history, and miscellaneous commentary on other media. I liked in particular The Fall of The Simpsons: How it Happened, "Non Battle" Battle Anime, What Makes A Fight Scene Interesting?, The Impact of Dragon Ball Z: The Series that Changed Everything, Why You Should Watch Yu Yu Hakusho, What Makes A Good Character Design?,

Cinema Therapy: these two guys are charming and sometimes funny. they can get annoying and their analyses tend to be very superficial, but I really like their videos tearing into bad romantic cliches. I like 10 TROPES We Hate About Rom Coms, 7 Tips from THE ADDAMS FAMILY to Keep Your Marriage Alive, TITANIC: Love Triangles and Compatibility, Therapist Reacts to THE KISSING BOOTH (Part 1, Part 2), Relationship Therapist Ranks Christmas Romances with guest Shona Kay

Sideways: a channel about music! knowing nothing about music at all, I find these videos really interesting and accessible. see Why the Music in Cats (2019) is Worse than you Thought, Why Pipe Organs Sound Scary, Decoding the Music of The Matrix, Why Avatar has the Most Ironic Soundtrack of All Time, Why the Soundtrack to Shrek is Actually Genius, Ear Training and Sight Singing: The Superpower you get from Music School, Why "Spoken Word" Makes me Nervous

Pop Culture Detective: I like this channel for the analyses of troubling tropes in media, especially the ones on misogyny. See Marvel Defenders of The Status Quo, The Ethics of Looking And The “Harmless” Peeping Tom, Born Sexy Yesterday, The Complicity of Geek Masculinity on the Big Bang Theory, Sexual Assault of Men Played for Laughs (Part one, Part two), Stranger Things, Belligerent Romance, and the Danger of Nostalgia

favorite misc videos here

#part 2 for misc videos coming next #cor.txt #save #video essays

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thefreakydeaky · 2 months ago

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What you have to understand about me is that I'm an extremely fucked up person. From my parents, to my grandparents, to my religious upbringing, I am just fucked in the head.

I learned all this new stuff from therapy, the internet, reading, meeting new better adjusted people, about how some of the things I was taught are actually bad for my mental health. I have been trying to let go of those ideas. I have been trying to grow and really get to know myself. I have been trying to get better.

But then I see all of these people being awful to each other, and not just by actually committing horrible actions or behavior toward each other, but by not caring, inaction.

Putting yourself first might mean not being a door mat. Having healthy boundaries. Not signing up for more responsibility than you can handle. It's for your own sanity really.

But. But how can you be so self centered that you don't care about the human rights of others? That is too much. How is anybody supposed to excuse that? Like, oh, but he's nice to me in particular. but he gives a shit what happens to me. Only because you're his gf, but if you weren't who cares if you get deported, right? who cares if you die from a miscarriage? How can someone going to school to work in the medical field not care about all the people that are dying? Cheaper gas means more to you than putting children in cages? Cheaper groceries means more to you than police brutality? I don't understand it. At. All.

How am I supposed to keep loving someone who is like this?

I was taught that I'm supposed to be compassionate towards the undeserving too.

I was taught that we are supposed to educate the people who have hardened their hearts, teach them to care about others like the Grinch i guess or Shrek.

Part of me, says, Why couldn't I find somebody who already cares? Why do I have to be the one to teach him? Why can't his parents have just raised him right?

But I was taught that I'm not supposed to complain about that, that I am being lazy.

You, internet that has taught me about bettering my mental health, what IS right here?

Give up the healthiest happiest relationship I've ever had or stay and hope I can show him how to care?

#personal #tw: politics #it's really ethics though isn't it?

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purplesurveys · 2 months ago

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1937

Do you know anyone who works at McDonald's? I've worked with people who were in the company corporately because McDonald's has been one of the brands I've handled. As service crew, though, I don't think so.

What are your plans for next weekend? Shutting myself out of work and likely playing tons of Rhythm Hive. It's gonna be a long weekend for All Saints/Souls Day so I'm pretty stoked; we're out of work from Thursday afternoon til Sunday.

Do you know anyone who plays heaps of sports? Sure. I handle a couple of sports-centric brands, so I've encountered individuals who have a major passion in sports and do like 10 of them.

Have you ever been suspended from school? Nope.

When was the last time you had chocolate? Ooh, hard to recall; I rarely have chocolate on its own as I find it too sweet...I did have chocolate biscuits a week ago, if that also counts.

Have you ever been to a sports game? Sure. Usually pro wrestling shows or collegiate games; I've never had an interest in the professional leagues.

If so, what sport did you see? The last I watched were two games simultaneously happening at UP, actually. I was with Andi – we watched a women's softball game first between UP and Adamson; the second one we sat at was Ateneo and UST for women's football.

Have you used a sewing machine before? Yes, we were taught how to in like Grade 6 home economics. I never learned how to pick it up and I remember not turning in a final project because I was too shy to ask for help even until the deadline.

When was the last time you had a snow day? Continued from Sunday. I can't relate.

Have you ever gotten in trouble for using a phone in class? No. During my time in high school, gadgets weren't allowed yet. Then in college, profs didn't care if you used your phone while in class.

Where do your cousins live? Oh dude we're spread out. I can't even tell you where most of my cousins would be because literally, we're all just spread out. Not just in the Philippines but like in the US, Canada, Australia as well. I also have a couple ones in New Zealand and probably around Europe too.

Have you met any of your second cousins? Yes. I'm close with one set of second cousins, but that's it. I'm pretty sure I haven't even met all of them, too, because my parents (especially my mom!!) have a ton of cousins.

Do you like the All-American Rejects? Not really. I liked Gives You Hell but that's literally it.

Is your computer slow or fast? It's on the slower side now. I've had this since 2017 and I used it throughout my college life + my first year of work, but I'm not and probably will not be in a rush to replace it anytime soon because I only ever use this personal laptop for surveys.

What colour shirt are you wearing? It's olive green.

Have you ever faked sick to get out of something? Sure. I did it just two weeks ago when I said I had food poisoning just to avoid the company Halloween party.

If so, how did you do it? I just said I had food poisoning and will be passing on the party. I've had my fair share of legit food poisoning experiences in the past, so I know it wouldn't seem 'out of the blue' or fake to my teammates.

Have you ever been ice skating? I have. I did it a lot as a kid – I wasn't good or athletic at it, certainly couldn't do spins or flips and such...but I was decent at balancing and gliding. And that alone felt very freeing for me, so I loved doing it.

Who do you sit near in math? I can't remember details like that anymore, lmao.

Have you ever had Werther's Original butterscotch toffee? I've never even heard of that.

When was the last time you wore a skirt? College, so circa 2016-2019 when denim skirts were a thing.

Have you seen all the Shrek movies? Just Shrek 2. The other three I didn't find nearly as interesting.

Have you ever fainted? Yeah, I'm a fainter.

What did you have for breakfast? Skipped it as always.

When was the last time you went on vacation? June, in Vietnam.

Have you ever had to sit next to some smelly random person on a bus? No.

Do you have any pets other than dogs or cats? Nope.

What colour is your bed sheet? Brown.

Do you have a job? Yeah.

If so, where and what does it consist of doing? I work from home. Public relations. Don't wanna get into it now.

Do you know anyone with the surname Matheson? No, I don't.

Tell me about the posters you have on your walls. I don't have anything up.

Are you the type of person who gets injuries often? No, but I will say my left ankle for some reason is particularly vulnerable. I've already sprained it twice haha, the last time was two years ago on my birthday weekend.

Have you ever finished a whole video game? No. It's one of my biggest annoyances in life, lmao. I've always wanted to achieve this at least once, but I always eventually get stuck at some stage/mission.

If so, which one(s)?

Are your siblings allergic to anything? They aren't.

Tell me about a funny TV ad you've seen. Not a TVC but Lola Nena's had a hilarious streak of digital ads. My favorite one was the elderly staff talking about their doughnuts with a green screen background of a car backing up to her. It's supposed to make you think the car would run her over, only for you to realize it's just a background video.

What time is it? 11:45 PM.

Do you know anyone with a pet snake? I don't think so.

Do you own a purple hoodie or sweatshirt? Neither, but I do have a purple crocheted cardigan.

When did you last stay home from school? I'll use work as my answer here – two weeks ago, as mentioned.

^ What was the reason? They were holding the company Halloween party and I really wasn't feeling up to it mentally. They had a fashion runway portion in the program which alone was enough to make me feel a little sick, so I just faked having food poisoning so I could miss out.

Has your house ever had a pest infestation? Termites, yes.

Do you have any bad habits? Yes.

Can you speak French? I'll recognize a few words or phrases but wouldn't able to last five seconds in a conversation.

Which one of your friends has great music taste? Andi.

What can you smell right now? The air coming from the aircon.

What was the last movie you watched? Markova: Comfort Gay. Fucking terrific film. I hate that it took me this long to watch it.

What was the last CD you bought? Jin's album, Happy.

Was it a digital copy or old school? Old-school.

What will you do after this? I wanna do another one.

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